(Caffeinated) Knitting keeps me (chemically) balanced.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Around here, we've been waiting for the this day...the end of the year. Around here, we say, "2008 wasn't so great...but 2009 is gonna be fine!"

But, today we'll also try to remember that there were some lovely things from the year.

Family: Including my grandmother who is still healthy in mind and body at 94! (And my cousins who, when our world fell apart, dropped everything and drove six hours to get here just to let us know that we were loved.)

Friends: Who have provided smiles along the way...before, during and after our world fell apart. (I'd have to fill the Internet with the photos of all the people who've been there for us...including all of you who are "faceless" to us!)

and Fooling around: My new tattoo...a remembrance of my travels to New Orleans and the Netherlands. It means more to me now than it did in January when I got it. Especially since the flowers represent my girls, my Mom, my aunt (who has been a treasured new confidante) & myself. There was plenty of fooling around up until August...and there will be again in 2009!

But when it comes to something a bit more lighthearted...we can always count on movies to supply us with a few choice quotes. A favorite around here is from Fried Green Tomatoes. "I'm older and I have more insurance." (And, of course, while looking for a quote link I found this link that then led to a few more good links..and so it goes.)

So as we wind up 2008...what are some of your favorite quotes (new & old)?

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Thank you all for your comments. For the time being, the blog will stay (and not because he gave me permission). With the responses that came in, I'm sure you'll tell me off if I stray too far afield. However, for the time being anyway, the girls will more than likely not be making any appearances. (Though it'll be hard to keep them out of the blog since they are such a huge part of my life...always have been, but more so these days.)

Days. A parcel arrived recently from Finland. A Finnish calendar from Jaana. (Thank You!) The illustrations are wonderful and each day has something written on it in Finnish. The note that accompanied it had such a wonderful thought: "a new way to look at days"!

Imagine being given the opportunity to look at days in a new way. We've been doing a lot of that around here, but for utilitarian reasons. However, the simplicity of looking at a "day" differently seems more so appealing: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun are now Ma, Ti, Ke, to, Pe, La, Su. Who knows what the year will bring but I'm all for looking at each day differently.

Just like knitting (bet you thought I'd forgotten about knitting)...we each use a different language/technique to accomplish the same thing. We can choose whether to be frustrated by the differences or embrace the differences or simply behold the beauty of the completed project. I'm looking forward to some beautiful days that include a bit of knitting!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

I need your help. Krafty1's blogiversary is in six days. Three years have gone by of sharing my life and my knitting with all of you. This blog has brought me so much pleasure and introduced me to so many people, I can't imagine my life without it.

Unfortunately, my estranged husband has been using my blog and my knitting as a means to hurt me with his words. (Like I haven't been hurt enough by his actions.) He tells me not to complain about the snow and extra work because I "still have time to blog".

But, I'm sick of all of the snow! The girls and I are tired of having to clear it nearly daily (with aid from a loaner snow thrower). So that's what I've written about.

As to knitting, there have been hats. Nice, soft, warm hats to give as gifts to the people who have offered their support to the girls and me. Something to warm their heads the way that they've warmed our hearts. (Thankfully, Jared's Koolhaas pattern was, for me, a quick knit with a fairly easy to memorize pattern.) But, even my knitting comes back to haunt me when he tells me not to complain about "x" because I "still have time to knit."

But, the truth of the matter is that I've learned that when you are a single parent there are even fewer hours in the day than you thought there were before youbecame a single parent! I'm in bed by 10:00 most nights because I'm exhausted and emotionally drained...no more late night posting or knitting before heading off to bed at 11 or 12:00. (Besides, there may be snow that needs clearing again at 5:30 the next morning!)

Just like our weather today (50 degrees with lots of snow melting), I'm in a fog. With six days until "renewal", I'm unsure as to whether to continue writing...especially if it's going to be used to hurt me. On the other hand, there are so many of you who have helped me with your words of kindness that it would hard to leave that support behind.

I know I shouldn't take his scoffing words to heart, but they still hurt. What are your thoughts? Should I continue the blog? Should I start a new one and not leave a "forwarding address"? Has anyone gone through something similar that they could share how they handled it? I'm in a fog and need some direction. Thanks.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Snow or socks? Which should go first? Hmmmm...I did promise knitting content.

Ta Da! Garter Rib Toe Up socks worked over 60 sts with short row heels. Just the thing for a little mindless knitting. The yarn is Meilenweit Colortweed (color 1001).

Lana Grossa Meilenweit and Regia brand yarns are my favorites to work with for socks that will be gifted to people who won't necessarily follow the "hand wash" instructions that accompany many of the indie dyed yarns. (Just a thought as we approach the height of giving.)

So those are the socks...bet you're wondering about our snow.

Where'd the brick wall go? Or Fairy Godmother's little spruce tree?

Anyone up for drinks on the deck? Or maybe a barbeque?

Thankfully, this little guy showed up to save the day (or at least our backs!). Officially, the storm dumped 11.5 inches of snow till the storm was finished. We shoveled the first three and then this little guy did the job for the next six-eight and we shoveled the final two.

Yep, three rounds of snow clearing! And to all those in our county who have been praying for a white Christmas...please stop praying!

Monday, December 08, 2008

St. Nicholas Day is normally my favorite day of the year. I normally prepare my family's stockings along with parcels for other family & friends in the time leading up to the "big day."

This year, however, due to my estranged spouse not only leaving but also leaving us w/o "means", my giving spirit has been left feeling a bit slashed like one of Sweeney Todd's clients. I want to do things for others SO badly. It didn't happen for the St. Nick's but, in the coming days/weeks, the girls and I have vowed to exercise both our creativity and frugality in order to make sure Christmas doesn't come and go without our being able to "give"...especially in light of how many kindnesses we've received over the past four months!

Even St. Nick's couldn't pass by without thanks to some very special friends. My Cosmic Sis sent chocolates for the girls and me. Chocolate coins are VERY traditional! "Sis" has learned a lot in a very short time about St. Nick. (She also included a special mug and new lamb as treats. What a sweetheart! Thanks!!)

Next, Fairy Godmother made sure that my own tradition of giving my family nightwear for the holiday season would be available for the girls and me. She knew that each year I'd buy nightgowns for us to wear...especially on Christmas Eve. Now, thanks to her, that tradition continues. (Thank you SO much!)

Time to shake off the "slime" that has made us feel, at times, that all is lost. Time to enjoy the holiday distractions, pick our favorite traditions and make some new ones.

Of course, one tradition that will continue is our volunteer work with the annual Festival of Trees event. We decided that giving back to others is even more important to us now than ever before! The girls and I may not have much $$ to give right now, but we have an awful lot of "sweat equity" that we can lend out.

Along with volunteering, we also took the time to make sure my Grandma (aged 94) got to the event. As has been tradition, we managed to get our annual photo of her with the girls. Gee, look at last year's photo! Skyechild was shorter than her Great-Grandma...but our favorite photo still is Grandma with the Stormtrooper from two years ago!

Another distraction we enjoyed this past weekend was a little time to actually play in the snow! We've spent so much time shoveling snow, we'd begun to forget that it could be fun and beautiful.

Now. with another snow storm bearing down on us with another threatened 12 inches of new snow, we're glad we took the time to be distracted with some good ol' fashioned playing in the snow...snowballs and snow angels. Who knows, we may even break down and build a snowman with the next storm's dumping. Stay warm and stay tuned! (Actual knitting updates tomorrow as well!)

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Thanks to all of you who were concerned that I was too tired to knit. Nothing like a basic sock or two to get a knitter back into the swing of things. The moments for knitting are a bit more infrequent these days, so a simple sock is a welcome friend when the brief moments come around to do a bit of knitting.

Once again, we've received more snow! A 5 inch fresh coat of the white stuff! The shoveling of it, along with the resulting sore muscles really cut into the knitting progress. Thank goodness it's the holiday season and the white stuff makes for pretty pictures.

Little did I know that, when my husband took off, the girls and I would "pay" for in so many different ways (like shoveling because he never repaired/replaced the old snow thrower). The lack of income coming from him has meant cutting back in a number of ways...but "strangers"/ friends have made the days a bit "warmer".

A beautiful skein of yarn arrived thanks to Isobel! The yarn is from indie dyer Lizard Toes. The colorway is called "Ocean Storm". I don't know if Isobel chose the yarn for the color or the name. Either way, it's perfect! The day that I discovered my husband's affair, I also noticed a sign that one of my co-workers had in her cubicle...it says, "Don't tell God how big the storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is." "Storm" is an excellent term for what has transpired since August...and the clouds still haven't shown signs of clearing. Do you think the storm would subside (and the girls & I could catch a break for a bit) if I'd hurry up and knit up this "stormy" yarn!?! Thanks again Isobel!! You brought a bit of sunshine to my stormy days.

Meanwhile, a little closer to home, another friend decided that I should be able to enjoy at least one eggnog latte during the month of December. And, since my friend was worried that losing 40 pounds was equivalent to "wasting away", it seemed imperative that the latte be accompanied by a seven layer bar. I managed to sneak in a few rounds of sock knitting (and forget about the snow storm outside) to make it a nearly perfect break.

Thursday & Friday should be without anymore snowstorms. Maybe a finished pair of socks will cap off my week. A girl can always hope, can't she!?!

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Sunday night was the Holiday Parade...Skyechild's only reason for going to the parade during the beginnings of a snowstorm was the church's apple crisp! A generous. hot helping at the start of the parade and another at the end, kept us plenty warm on the inside. (Closer inspection of the photo reveals that it seems to be time for me to update the knitted accessories for my girls!)

The cause of my tired...a snow...a BIG snow!

Sunday evening I shoveled before AND after the parade to clear the layers of slush. By morning, I was ever so thankful that the 3 inches of slush was not at the bottom of 6-8 inches of snow! Panda and I were up at 6AM, armed ourselves with shovels and headed out to "eat the elephant/whale"...one bite at a time.

Together, we managed it and were so proud of ourselves and our accomplishment. But, my hands are too sore to knit...so I'll leave you with some pretty snow photos.